At just 28 years old, Alfred Burgesson is shaping the future of inclusive entrepreneurship in Canada and he is doing it on his terms. As the founder and CEO of Tribe Network, a Halifax-based organization that supports BIPOC entrepreneurs, Burgesson is pushing forward with bold ambitions, including a $20 million venture fund aimed at closing capital gaps for underrepresented founders.
What started as a search for belonging evolved into a nationally recognized platform that is redefining access, equity, and innovation in the entrepreneurial landscape.
It came down to finding people that had common interests, common goals, common values… I wanted to make friends, and I wanted to find my tribe, says Burgesson, reflecting on the early days of Tribe Network.
Frustrated by his experience at a university innovation hub that failed to understand his lived experience, Burgesson decided to create the space he needed, and that others like him were also seeking.
A Home for Entrepreneurs
Tribe Network now occupies two floors in a heritage building in downtown Halifax. With over 2,000 members, primarily in Atlantic Canada, the network offers a physical and virtual space where entrepreneurs can collaborate, access coaching, build connections, and engage with technology and resources. Virtual coaching sessions extend its impact beyond regional borders.
Sixty percent of Tribe’s funding currently comes from provincial and federal governments, with the rest supported by private investors. But Burgesson is quick to clarify:
I didn’t start Tribe to have my hand out every year.
Instead, he’s steering the organization toward financial sustainability and global impact.
Raising the Bar and the Capital
In a climate where DEI efforts are increasingly questioned or abandoned, Burgesson’s work serves as a bold counter-narrative.
In this time of people pushing back on DEI… it’s important to not think about DEI as a side project. DEI should be embedded in your organization as part of investing in excellence.
The organization’s next phase? A venture fund capable of investing up to $1 million into promising entrepreneurial ideas from the BIPOC community.
Despite initial skepticism, including suggestions to scale down his ambitions, Burgesson is already proving doubters wrong. Tribe has secured a $2 million lead investment, with others following. His short-term goal is to reach $10 million by fall 2025, with the remaining $10 million by spring 2026.
A Vision Rooted in Experience
Burgesson’s entrepreneurial fire was lit early. As a teenager at Halifax Grammar School, he was one of Canada’s top basketball prospects. But he soon discovered another talent, marketing through Junior Achievement’s after-school programs.
Born in Ghana and raised in Nova Scotia, his family’s immigrant journey shaped his values. They left a comfortable life for uncertain beginnings in Canada.
This is not a vacation, his parents reminded him. We’re here for you to take this opportunity and make the best of it.
His brother is now a doctor. His sister, a creative professional. Burgesson? A changemaker recognized by Atlantic Business (30 Under 30) and The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business magazine.
From Community Builder to National Voice
Not content with just building a network, Burgesson also worked to influence policy. Though initially rejected, he reapplied and joined the Prime Minister’s Youth Council in 2019, learning firsthand how influence works behind closed doors.
You can say whatever you want to the Prime Minister. But if there’s no political will, it’s hard for it to become a priority, he said, underlining the importance of “strategic influencing.”
Through it all, his mission remains the same: to build a self-sustaining, globally connected platform for underrepresented innovators to thrive.
Alfred Burgesson is not just imagining a better ecosystem, he’s building it, fund by fund, founder by founder.
